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Each Hospice MDP module is organized around specific learning outcomes that participants can expect to accomplish by the completion of the module. The objectives for each module of the Hospice MDP that has been developed are listed below.

Hospice MDP Level I Modules

Module: Values-Based Hospice Leadership

• Define and describe the characteristics of managers and leaders;
• Discuss “culture by design” concepts;
• Identify core hospice values;
• Describe a values-based approach to management/leadership;
• Describe an interdisciplinary approach to innovation;
• Practice translating values-based leadership concepts into practice.

Module: NHPCO Standards as a Management Tool

• Identify three reasons for the development of NHPCO Standards;
• Identify the difference between regulations, standards and guidelines;
• Describe the use of the NHPCO Standards as a management tool;
• Identify key topics from each of the chapters of the NHPCO Standards;
• Compare the NHPCO Standards to the Medicare Conditions of Participation and the accreditation standards of organizations that accredit hospice programs;
• Identify at least one potential barrier to NHPCO standard’s self-assessment process and create a strategy to overcome it;
• List at least three specific items that a surveyor will identify to determine compliance with NHPCO Standards;
• List guidelines and resources developed by NHPCO to guide practice.

Module: Leadership Style and Situational Leadership

• Discuss the elements of leadership style;
• Discuss your leadership styles;
• Identify the maturity level of employees;
• Explore ways to adapt leadership style to the maturity level of an employee;
• Implement the Personal Management Interview (PMI).

Module: Interviewing, Feedback, Coaching and Evaluation Skills

• Define, explain and demonstrate behavioral interviewing;
• Define, explain and identify keys to the effective use of feedback and coaching;
• Describe the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) technique of feedback and the Assessment-Challenge-Support (ACS) model of coaching;
• Relate principles and processes behind effective performance appraisal;
• Create an appropriate performance improvement plan.

Module: Decision Making and Critical Thinking

• Define critical thinking;
• List three components of critical thinking;
• Discuss the relationship between your “style” as a manager and problem solving and outcomes;
• Apply key principles to three common situations that hospice and palliative care managers face.

Module: Ethics for Hospice Managers

• Identify general principles and standards of ethics;
• Identify the process for isolating an ethical dilemma;
• Identify two common ethical issues in end-of-life care;
• Define “promise keeping” and explain its relevance to business ethics;
• List two critical “hot topics” and develop a plan to identify and address the ethical considerations;
• List 3 available resources to help resolve ethical dilemmas.

Module: Managing with an Eye to Finances

• Discuss basic accounting and application to hospice;
• Identify budgeting principles;
• Identify hospice specific indicators;
• Review a statistical analysis of operations;
• Identify reporting needs and sample reports.

Hospice MDP Level II Modules

Module: Emotional Intelligence

• Discuss the role and importance of emotional intelligence as it relates to hospice managers;
• Discuss the four core skills of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, other-awareness and effective relating;
• Identify emotional triggers that affect hospice manager performance;
• Demonstrate use of the "pause intervention" to regulate emotionally charged responses; 
• Describe a method for shifting a potentially destructive encounter into an effective encounter.

Module: Managing Conflict in the Workplace

• Discuss the nature of conflict and describe ways in which conflict impacts the hospice workplace;
• Discuss individual conflict styles and describe the role of power;
• Identify productive and unproductive approaches to coping with conflict in the hospice workplace;
• Describe the role of consensus building, interest-based decision making, and negotiation in dealing with conflict in hospice and palliative care settings;
• Demonstrate specific methods that can be used to effectively manage hospice workplace conflicts.

Module: Managing Negativity in the Workplace

• Discuss the dynamics of workplace negativity;
• Identify the impacts of workplace negativity;
• Discuss behaviors that create problems and negativity in the workplace;
• Identify strategies for overcoming workplace negativity;
• Develop and refine approaches for coping with workplace negativity.

Module: Managing Systems and Programs - Financial, Trending and Reporting Applications

• Discuss strategies to maintain a sound business and caring community;
• Review key financial data and report basics;
• Integrate financial information, data, trends and reports into your clinical roles within your agency.

Module: Managing the Changing Organization

• Define change, identifying its core components;
• Identify specific approaches to organizational change and apply them to one’s own organization;
• Describe human needs with respect to change and identify specific strategies for addressing them;
• List characteristics of effective change initiatives and practice apply them to one’s own organization.

Additional Level II modules are being created; they will be added here as they are completed.